Frank Vogel: 'Craziest two weeks of my life'

Frank Vogel is introduced as the new head coach of the Orlando Magic during a news conference Monday, May 23, 2016, at Amway Arena. After more than five seasons as the Pacers head coach, Vogel was not given a contract extension earlier this month.(Photo: Kim Klement / USA TODAY Sports)

Vogel, who turns 43 next month, even guaranteed that he’ll lead the Magic to the postseason in his first season at the helm.

“My phone was ringing, and that was a good thing,” he said. “It was a good kind of chaos. There was interest. That part made it an enjoyable time, as opposed to a stressful time. To have the opportunity to have a job like this as one of the options, and deciding to go for it more than the rest, and then getting it, is a very exciting thing for me. It’s the perfect place for me to continue my basketball journey.”

The Magic have not been to the playoffs in four seasons, though they did make a 10-win improvement this past season, going 35-47, under first-year head coach Scott Skiles, who abruptly quit May 12.

Vogel said that several Magic players have the potential to become a breakout superstar talent like Paul George, whom he nurtured with the Pacers. The Magic also have considerable cap room to sign a couple of free agents; one at max value.

“In my mind, this team is ready,” Vogel said. “We’re at the beginning of what should be a great era for Magic basketball. We’re going to win and we’re going to have fun winning. We’re going to get into the playoffs this year.”

Vogel led the Pacers to a 250-181 record and five postseason appearances. The Pacers were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round this year, taking the Toronto Raptors to seven games.

“We’re going to play a similar style of play that we did with Indiana,” he said. “We’re going to have a defensive identity. We’re also going to play a style of offense where we adapt to the way today’s NBA game is played. We’re going to play with pace. We’re going to take advantage of the athleticism we have on this roster, run the floor, and we’re going to space similar to the way a lot of teams are playing in today’s NBA. And we’re going to win.”

The Magic, like several other franchises, have enough cap room to sign two or three free agents, and Vogel was confident that the franchise will be able to do that.

“The biggest thing free agents want to hear is: Are you going to win?” he said. “And I believe we are going to win. We had some success in Indiana, taking over a team at a similar point in their development that this team is at now. We just need one or two veterans to come in and take us over the hump. But the No. 1 thing a free agent wants to hear is: Are we going to win? And the pieces are in place here for that.

“We had regular-season success in Indiana. We had postseason success in Indiana. And with the young core we have in place here, I believe that we can take a big step with the right free agents.”

The Magic admitted, because of the interest in Vogel from other teams, that they moved quickly to make this hire.

“We were well-aware that he was interviewing around,” said team President and CEO Alex Martins. “And I think Frank saw through the fact that we’ve been rebuilding. When he says we’re going to win, we believe him. It’s exactly what we feel. You can tell young guys who haven’t been there how to get there. But with him, it’s not that he can say it. He’s been there and he can prove it. That was one of the pieces we talked about.”

Speaking of Skiles’ sudden departure, Martins added, “I’m a believer that when one door closes another one opens — and a better one can open. We believe that can be the case here with Frank’s caliber and the success he’s had at Indiana.”